Improved method of constructing wrought-iron columns



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WALTERS AND THOMAS SHAFFER, OF PHGENIXVILLE, PENN.

IMPRovED ME'rI-loooF c'oNsTRUc'rlNe wRoueH'r-IRON coLuMNs.

Speeiticationforming part of Letters Patent No. 83,425, dated October 27, 1.868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE WALTERs and THOMAS SHAFFER, of Phoenixville, in the Y county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use-ful Improvement in Wrought-Iron and Steel Columns; and we do hereby deciare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being'had tothe accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in whic Figure 1 is side view of our improved column or shaft. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal ldetail section of the same, taken through the line a: w, Figs. 3 and 4:. Fig. 3 i's a detail cross-section of .the same taken through the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. itis a detail cross-section of the same taken through the line z z, Fig. 2. i

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Our invention has for its object tofurnish an improved iron or steel column or shaft for usein the 'construction of buildings, bridges, piers, trestle-work, compressionchords, etc., which shall be simple in construction, strong, and solid, and which may be manufactured at less expense than columnsor shafts constructed in the usual manner; and it consists in the Y construction and combination of the various pa-rts ofthe column, as hereinafter more fully t described. I

i A. are bars, which are made of' the desired length of the column. The bars A are rolled or otherwise formed, with a central longitudinal rib or flange upon their outer sides, as shown in the drawing, and their inner sides should be concaved, to fit upon the outer sides of the interior rings or bands B. The bands.

l" or rings B should .be made of such a size as will form a column of the desired diameter and strength. The bars A are securely rivet` ed or bolted to the outer sides of the rings or bands B, at equal distances apart, which distance depends upon the breadth of the vbars G. The bars A and rings B thus forma skeleton'column of greatlrmness and strength.

O are bars, which are formed or rolled into the form of longitudinal segments of hollow cyliuders, as shown by their cross-section in Figs.

3 and 4. The segmental bars G rest upon the outer sides of the barsA, with their edges` against the central ribfor. ange of said bars A, which bars thus act as skew-backs to sustain the strain of the bars O.

. The bars C are secured in place by rivets, bolts or screws passing through their middle parts, as through the rings or bands B, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and et. By this construcltion, as the screws, bolts, or rivetsby which rings as there would be if said bands or ringsf were shrunk upon the outer side' of the column. It should be observed that the form of the bars C may be varied at pleasure; as, for instance, they may be plain, as shown' in the drawings, or they may be iluted, or they may be of any other desired form, so long as they are concaved upon their inner sides, so as to produce the binding effect when they are strained to their places.

The bars C are shown in red in Fig. 3, as being made in such a shape as will form a column .of the Doric order, while at the same time the concavity upon the inner sides of said bars O is retained, so as to obtain the desired binding strain when the bars C are drawn to their places by the bolts, screws, or rivets. It should also be observed that the bars O may be segments oi a hollow cylinder, oi' a greater or less diameter than that of the column to be constructed, so that bars' O, of precisely the same form and size, may be used for constructing columns of' a greater or less diameter, as may be desired. By this construction, each of the bars C, being entirely independent of all the others, one or more of said bars O may be removed, so as to obtain convenient access to the interior ofth `e}column for painting or other nccessaryl-repzi-irs, even when s aid columns are -in use ing-buildings, compressionchords for bridges, "or other superstructures. This construct-ion also, by the convenience of varying thetln'cknessof the segments C, enables the sectional-area of the columns to be varied at pleasure, which is of great importbination ot' the segmental bars C, skew-backanee to the engineer, who desires to have no .bars A, and interior rings or bands B, with more deadload than his calculations allow each other, substantially as herein shown and him, while, at the same time, securing the redescribed, and for the purpose set forth. quisite strength and firmness. GEORGE WALTERS.

Having thus described our invention, we THOMAS SHAFFER. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-'- l Au improved column, formed by the com- Vitn esses P. G. CAREY, V. N. SHAFFER. 

